Controversial 'inside story' event at Havelock North Club cancelled

The Havelock North Club has cancelled lawyer Peter Coles' talk 'Inside Story – Ewen Macdonald trial for the murder of Scott Guy'. Photo / Paul Taylor

A controversial talk on Ewen Macdonald's trial for the murder of Scott Guy has been cancelled but there is a suggestion the event may still go ahead, for free.

Macdonald's trial and later not guilty verdict was to be the subject of an address at the Havelock North Club on December 4 by one of his defence lawyers, Peter Coles.

The club had earlier released an invitation on behalf of Neil Hollebone, who was organising the event. It was billed as 'Inside Story – Ewen Macdonald trial for the murder of Scott Guy'.

The event sparked a pointed response from Scott Guy's widow Kylee Guy, who lives in Hawke's Bay, who said the scheduled talk as "utterly disgusting".

Today the club posted on its Facebook page that the event that had been cancelled due to backlash.

"We would like to express our deepest condolences to Kylee, her family and anyone who has been affected by the event being held at our venue by one of our members."

The club also posted a statement from event organiser Hollebone which said he expressed his regret "to Mr Coles and to those who have already paid to attend the event for any inconvenience by this decision."

Hollebone's statement also said that Coles had offered to speak to club members at a rescheduled date "where attendance will be free of charge."

Scott Guy and wife Kylee Guy, Scott was murdered in July 2010. Photo / File

Kylee's private victim advocate Ruth Money, who had called for the event to be cancelled, said the organisers still seemed to lack an understanding of what "revictimisation" was, as the talk was still a future possibility.

"Should it happen, we will all attend and look forward to hearing Coles deliver a balanced presentation about the 'EM story' that should include all the crimes he was convicted of as well as the acquittal."

Money said Kylee wanted to "thank the community for their overwhelming support".

She claimed the "profiteering from Kylee's pain was and remains repugnant."

According to the event page on Facebook, the club was charging $100 per person to attend the talk, which included a three-course meal.

The event page stated that no media would be allowed to attend.

The page went live on Friday, November 20, but was taken down after it was roundly criticised.

Kylee said she was never consulted about the event and found out only through local chat.

She said it was not someone else's story to tell.

"This is not some soap opera – this is our real life. This is no one's 'story' but Scotty's."